Mobile Manipulator Start Control for Battery Inrush Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional mobile robots with manipulators risk battery damage due to inrush currents when starting high-output motors, as charge residual amount estimation alone is insufficient to prevent exceeding the battery's maximum current value.

Innovation Solution

A mobile robot system that includes a voltage acquisition unit, condition determination unit, and starting control unit to manage battery voltage within a specific range, disabling or transforming the voltage to prevent inrush current exceedance, and allowing safe starting of electric loads.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If the manipulator with high-output motor is started using battery power, then the robot can operate the manipulator, but the inrush current may exceed the battery's rated current and cause battery damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemotor output powerVSAvoidbattery safety
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control device checks the battery voltage before allowing the manipulator motor to start. If the voltage is below the threshold value, the motor starting is prohibited in advance, preventing the inrush current from exceeding the battery's rated current and causing damage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The control device continuously monitors the battery voltage and uses this feedback to determine whether to permit motor starting. When voltage drops below the threshold, the control device prohibits motor operation to protect the battery, and allows operation again when voltage recovers above the threshold.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Device complexity

If only charge residual amount estimation is used to control battery usage, then the control method is simple, but it is insufficient to prevent exceeding the maximum current value of the battery

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol system complexityVSAvoidbattery protection effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control method changes from estimating charge residual amount to directly measuring battery voltage. This parameter change provides a more accurate and immediate indicator of battery state, enabling reliable prevention of excessive current draw while maintaining simple control logic through a single threshold comparison.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Prevents battery damage by managing inrush currents, enabling safe operation of high-output motors and allowing the robot to travel or charge/discharge the battery to adjust starting conditions.

Implementation Method 1

a battery 21 supplying power to the electric load 31

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBattery (electricity): Battery (electricity)

Implementation Method 2

a voltage transformation device 32 transforming the voltage of the battery 21 to supply to the electric load 31

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrical energy transformation: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP4219097B1Mobile robot, mobile manipulator, and method for controlling mobile robot
Publication Date: 2025.11.19 OMRON CORP
  • EP4219097B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4219097B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4219097B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A mobile robot (1) for providing a mobile robot that prevents the output current of a battery from exceeding the rated current due to inrush current of an electric load comprises a voltage acquisition unit (11) for acquiring the voltage of a battery (21) for supplying electric power to a manipulator (31), a condition determination unit (12) for determining whether the voltage is in a specific range, and a starting control unit (13) for disabling starting of the manipulator (31) when the voltage is determined to be in the specific range. The specific range is a voltage range that is a portion of the voltage range in which the manipulator (31) can be operated.